(ISC)² is making a cybersecurity career more accessible. As part of our commitment to help close the cybersecurity workforce gap and diversify those working in the field, we are offering FREE (ISC)² Certified in Cybersecurity Online Self-Paced Training and exams to one million people worldwide.
To qualify, individuals must enroll as an (ISC)² Candidate, for free, which entitles them to a wide array of exclusive programs and services to assist individuals starting a cybersecurity career, including free education and exams for the association’s new entry-level cybersecurity certification (ISC)² Certified in Cybersecurity.
How to Enroll in One Million Certified in Cybersecurity
To participate in the One Million Certified in Cybersecurity program, follow these simple steps:
- Sign up as an (ISC)² Candidate for free* at isc2.org/candidate. You will be prompted to create an account with (ISC)² and answer several questions about your cybersecurity career goals.
- After you complete your (ISC)² Candidate registration, you will be redirected to your (ISC)² Candidate benefits page. From there, you will find links to enroll in the Online Self-Paced Training and instructions for redeeming your free exam.
* (ISC)² Candidates are required to pay an annual due of U.S. $50, which will be waived for the first year of the initiative until September 2023.
Growing the Cybersecurity Workforce
Enrollment in One Million Certified in Cybersecurity gives individuals access to a course curriculum that reviews the subject matter contained within the Certified in Cybersecurity exam outline. Anyone earning the (ISC)² Certified in Cybersecurity certification demonstrates they have the foundational knowledge, skills and abilities to take on entry- and junior-level cybersecurity roles, enabling employers to more confidently build resilient teams across all experience levels.
We encourage university students, recent graduates, individuals looking for a career change and other professionals to enroll in the program. To promote diversity and inclusion, we are working with partner organizations to reach historically under-represented populations. We will make 500,000 course enrollments and exams available specifically to students of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), minority-serving institutions (MSIs), tribal organizations and women’s organizations in the U.S. and around the world.
Acute Skills Gap
First announced by (ISC)² CEO Clar Rosso at the Cyber Workforce and Education Summit at the White House in July, the One Million Certified in Cybersecurity initiative aims to address a serious challenge facing cybersecurity teams – finding qualified talent. The (ISC)² 2021 Workforce Study estimates a skills gap of 2.7 million worldwide, requiring companies to get creative and deemphasize experience when identifying candidates for open positions.
Hiring managers have become more open to onboarding team members with little or no experience in the field. This requires focusing less on technical skills and more on key attributes such as creative and analytical thinking, problem solving and ability to work both as an individual and in a team.
Research conducted for the (ISC)² Cybersecurity Hiring Managers Guide shows that hiring managers are closely collaborating with HR and recruiting organizations to find promising entry-level candidates. The research shows that most organizations are investing in skills development, and that getting less-experienced cybersecurity practitioners to handle important tasks takes a relatively short time.
“The global cybersecurity workforce shortage is an issue we can no longer just talk about. It’s time for decisive action,” said Rosso. “I am proud that our association – with its rich history of advocating for the advancement, expansion and enablement of the cybersecurity workforce – is undertaking this unprecedented initiative to make rewarding cybersecurity careers accessible to so many people.”
To learn more about the initiative, visit the One Million Certified in Cybersecurity website.